Substrate processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

There is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a cleaning tank configured to clean a target substrate; a drying chamber configured to communicate with an upper area of the cleaning tank and dry the target substrate picked up from the cleaning tank; a first drying gas supply unit configured to supply a first drying gas containing vapor of a solvent for removing a liquid; a second drying gas supply unit configured to supply a second drying gas not containing the vapor of the solvent for removing the liquid; a substrate holder configured to pick up the target substrate from the cleaning tank and transfer the target substrate to the drying chamber; and a controller configured to output a control signal to alternately supply the first drying gas and the second drying gas.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/042,645, filed on Mar. 8, 2011 which claims the benefit of JapanesePatent Application No. 2010-052305 filed on Mar. 9, 2010 and JapanesePatent Application No. 2010-293024 filed on Dec. 28, 2010, the entiredisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a technology for performing cleaningand drying processes to a target substrate such as a semiconductorwafer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various contaminants generated in a semiconductor device manufacturingprocess adhere to a surface of a target substrate such as asemiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as “wafer”), and in orderto remove the contaminants, there has been performed a cleaning processfor cleaning the surface of the wafer by using a multiple number ofcleaning solutions.

By way of example, in a substrate processing apparatus which performs abatch type cleaning process, there has been widely employed a cleaningmethod in which for example, several tens of wafers are immersed insequence in a cleaning solution such as a chemical solution or a rinsesolution in a processing tank. After the cleaning process, the wafersare picked up from the cleaning solution and then a drying gas includingvapor of a solvent such as IPA (isopropyl alcohol) is injected to removea liquid (for example, water) from the surface of the wafer and preventgeneration of water marks.

In the semiconductor device manufacturing process, a stacked structureis formed on the surface of the wafer by photolithography, and, thus, apattern made of materials including an organic material, such as aresist film, is formed on the surface of the cleaning target wafer.Recently, as a wiring structure in a semiconductor device becomesminiaturized, such a pattern also becomes miniaturized, so that itsmechanical strength or chemical resistance may be decreased as comparedwith a conventional one.

If the drying gas including the solvent such as IPA is brought intocontact with such a resist film, for example, a trench pattern 80 shownin FIG. 13A may be deformed into a taper pattern 81, a collapsed pattern82, a disappeared pattern 83 or dissolved pattern 84 as depicted in FIG.13B. In a manufacturing process of such a miniaturized semiconductordevice, such a deformation may be a big problem in improving productyield.

In the semiconductor device manufacturing process, a wafer istransferred while its peripheral area, on which a semiconductor deviceis not formed, is held or grasped by a transfer arm or tweezers. Forthis reason, more particles adhere to the peripheral area of the waferthan its central area and non-removed particles may remain on theperipheral area even after a cleaning process.

Meanwhile, in the batch type cleaning process, a wafer may be immersedin the cleaning solution in a longitudinal direction and picked up fromthe cleaning solution in the longitudinal direction and then dried. Inthis case, if the wafer is brought into contact with IPA vapor, the IPAmay be adsorbed to water on the surface of the wafer and a liquid filmmixed with the water and the IPA may be formed and may flow down thesurface of the wafer by a decrease in surface tension or weight of theliquid film. The present inventors have found that relatively manyparticles remaining in a peripheral area of the wafer flow toward acentral area of the wafer along the flow of the liquid film andcontaminate an area where the semiconductor device is formed.

In Patent Document 1, it is disclosed that vapor of a drying fluid suchas IPA is supplied in advance to an upper region of a cleaning solutionsuch as pure water in which a wafer is immersed and an atmosphere aroundthe wafer is slowly and directly changed from the cleaning solution tothe IPA vapor so as to dry the wafer. However, even in this case, if theIPA as the drying fluid is supplied in large quantities, there is thesame problem as the above-described drying method in which the wafer ispicked up and then the IPA vapor is supplied to the wafer. By way ofexample, a liquid film of the IPA condensed on the surface of the wafermay flow down the surface of the wafer together with particles and maycontaminate an area where a semiconductor device is formed.

-   Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. H06-103686 (see Claim 1 and    Lines 39 to 43 of the left column of page 4).

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure has been conceived in view of the foregoingcircumstances and provides a substrate processing apparatus capable ofperforming cleaning and drying processes well while reducing effects ona target substrate, and further provides a substrate processing methodand a storage medium that stores the same method.

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, there isprovided a substrate processing apparatus including: a cleaning tankconfigured to clean a target substrate by immersing the target substratein a cleaning solution in a longitudinal direction while the cleaningsolution is supplied from a cleaning solution supply unit; a dryingchamber configured to communicate with an upper area of the cleaningtank and dry the target substrate picked up from the cleaning tank; afirst drying gas supply unit configured to supply a first drying gascontaining vapor of a solvent for removing a liquid to an atmosphereranging from the upper area of the cleaning tank to an inside of thedrying chamber; a second drying gas supply unit configured to supply asecond drying gas not containing the vapor of the solvent for removingthe liquid to the atmosphere ranging from the upper area of the cleaningtank to the inside of the drying chamber; a substrate holder configuredto pick up the target substrate from the cleaning tank and transfer thetarget substrate to the drying chamber while holding the targetsubstrate in a longitudinal direction; and a controller configured tooutput a control signal to alternately supply the first drying gas andthe second drying gas to an area where the target substrate is exposedafter an upper end of the cleaned target substrate is picked up from aliquid surface of the cleaning solution by the substrate holder, whereinwhen a cycle is defined as a period of time required to respectivelysupply the first drying gas and the second drying gas one time, at leastone cycle is repeated between a time when the upper end of the targetsubstrate is picked up from the cleaning solution and a time when thewhole target substrate is picked up from the cleaning solution.

The substrate processing apparatus may include the following features.

-   -   (a) The controller outputs a control signal to alternately        supply the first drying gas and the second drying gas to the        upper area of the cleaning tank from a time when the entire        target substrate is immersed in the cleaning solution.    -   (b) The controller outputs a control signal to supply the        cleaning solution into the cleaning tank based on an operation        of supplying the first drying gas to the upper area of the        cleaning tank.    -   (c) A speed of picking up the target substrate from the cleaning        solution is in a range of from about 2 mm/sec to about 10        mm/sec.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, there isprovided a substrate processing apparatus including: a cleaning tankconfigured to clean a target substrate by immersing a target substratein a cleaning solution in a longitudinal direction while the cleaningsolution is supplied from a cleaning solution supply unit; a dryingchamber configured to communicate with an upper area of the cleaningtank and dry the target substrate picked up from the cleaning tank; adrying gas supply unit configured to supply a gas containing vapor of asolvent for removing a liquid to an atmosphere ranging from the upperarea of the cleaning tank to an inside of the drying chamber whilechanging a concentration of the vapor of the solvent; a substrate holderconfigured to pick up the target substrate from the cleaning tank andtransfer the target substrate to the drying chamber while holding thetarget substrate in a longitudinal direction; and a controllerconfigured to output a control signal to perform a process of supplyinga first gas containing vapor of a solvent of a first concentration to anarea where the target substrate is exposed between the upper area of thecleaning tank and the drying chamber in order to form a liquid film on asurface of the target substrate after an upper end of the cleaned targetsubstrate is picked up from a liquid surface of the cleaning solution bythe substrate holder, and a process of supplying a second gas containingthe vapor of the solvent of a second concentration higher than the firstconcentration after the target substrate is loaded into the dryingchamber communicating with the upper area of the cleaning tank in orderto remove the liquid by vaporizing the solvent after the liquid adheringto the surface of the substrate is diluted by condensing the solvent,wherein when a cycle is defined as a period of time required to supplythe first gas one time, at least one cycle is repeated between a timewhen the upper end of the target substrate is picked up from thecleaning solution and a time when the whole target substrate is pickedup from the cleaning solution.

The substrate processing apparatus may include the following features.

-   -   (d) In the supplying process of the first gas and the supplying        process of the second gas, the first concentration is changed to        the second concentration by changing an interval of alternate        supplies of a gas containing the vapor of the solvent and a gas        not containing the vapor of the solvent.    -   (e) The first concentration is changed to the second        concentration by changing an interval of alternate supplies of a        gas containing the vapor of the solvent and a gas not containing        the vapor of the solvent in the supplying process of the first        gas and continuously supplying a gas containing the vapor of the        solvent in the supplying process of the second gas.    -   (f) In the supplying process of the first gas and the supplying        process of the second gas, the first concentration is changed to        the second concentration by changing mixing ratio of the vapor        of the solvent and a gas that dilutes the vapor of the solvent.    -   (g) In the supplying process of the first gas and the supplying        process of the second gas, the first concentration is changed to        the second concentration by changing a supply amount of a gas        containing vapor of a solvent of a preset concentration.

In accordance with the present disclosure, the drying process isperformed on the target substrate by alternately supplying the firstdrying gas containing vapor of the solvent for removing a liquid and thesecond drying gas without containing vapor of the solvent to the areawhere the target substrate is exposed after the cleaned target substrateis picked up from the cleaning solution. Accordingly, removal of theliquid from the surface of the wafer W by the vapor of the solvent canbe performed alternately with the evaporation of the solvent.Consequently, the concentration of the solvent on the surface of thetarget substrate becomes low, and, thus, generation of water marks canbe reduced while suppressing effects on a pattern formed on the surfaceof the target substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments will be described inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with thedisclosure and are, therefore, not to be intended to limit its scope,the disclosure will be described with specificity and detail through useof the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a transversal plane view of a wafer cleaning system inaccordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a partially broken perspective view showing an internalconfiguration of the wafer cleaning system;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a cleaning/drying unitinstalled in the wafer cleaning system;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a drying gassupply unit of the cleaning/drying unit;

FIGS. 5A and 5B provide a first explanatory diagram showing an operationof the cleaning/drying unit;

FIGS. 6A and 6B provide a second explanatory diagram showing anoperation of the cleaning/drying unit;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a sequence of supply of adrying gas and a cleaning solution to the cleaning/drying unit;

FIG. 8 shows a sequence of a first gas supply process in accordance witha second embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a modification example of a sequence of the first gas supplyprocess;

FIG. 10 shows a sequence of a second gas supply process;

FIG. 11 shows a sequence of a third gas supply process;

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing results of experimentalexamples; and

FIGS. 13A and 13B provide a schematic diagram of a pattern formed on asurface of a wafer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Prior to explanation of a cleaning/drying unit 2 as a substrateprocessing apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure, anoutline of a wafer cleaning system 1 including the cleaning/drying unit2 will be explained briefly. FIG. 1 is a plane view of the wafercleaning system 1 in accordance with the present embodiment, and FIG. 2is a partially broken perspective view thereof. When the left side ofeach drawing is defined as the front side, the wafer cleaning system 1may include a loading/unloading unit 11 that loads and unloads FOUPs 7with respect to a housing 100; an interface unit 12 that adjusts aposition of a wafer W or changes a posture of the wafer W when the waferW is delivered between the FOUP 7 loaded into the loading/unloading unit11 and a processing unit 13 as a rear part; and the processing unit 13that performs a liquid process and a drying process onto the wafer W.Here, the loading/unloading unit 11, the interface unit 12 and theprocessing unit 13 are provided in this sequence from the front side.

On the foremost side of the wafer cleaning system 1 in accordance withthe present embodiment, a load port 111 capable of mounting, forexample, four FOUPs 7 thereon is installed. By way of example, whenviewed from the front side, two mounting tables 112 on the right sideare used for loading the FOUPs 7 into the wafer cleaning system 1 andtwo mounting tables 112 on the left side are used for unloading theFOUPs 7 from the wafer cleaning system 1. By way of example, if a FOUP 7containing a multiple number of wafers W is mounted on the mountingtable 112 for loading by an external transfer device or the like, themounting table 112 slides backward and the FOUP 7 is loaded into thehousing 100. The FOUP 7 loaded into the housing 100 is transferredbetween the surface of the mounting table 112 sliding into theloading/unloading unit 11, an access position to the interface unit 12as a rear part, and a non-illustrated stocking space for an empty FOUP 7by, for example, lifters 114 a and 114 b installed at both sidewallswithin the loading/unloading unit 11.

The interface unit 12 is a space formed by partitioning an inner spaceof the housing 100 of the wafer cleaning system 1 from theloading/unloading unit 11 and the processing unit 13 by partition walls101 and 102. Further, the interface unit 12 is divided by a partitionwall 103 into a first interface room 120 a for loading the wafer W and asecond interface room 120 b for unloading the wafer W. When the FOUP 7is placed at the access position, a cover provided at side surfaces ofthe FOUP 7 is separated by an opening/closing door 127 provided at anopening of the partition wall 101. Then, the wafer W within the FOUP 7is taken out by a wafer taking-out arm 121 and loaded into the firstinterface room 120 a.

With respect to wafers W taken out from the FOUP 7, their notchpositions are detected and adjusted between the wafers W by a notchaligner 123, so that positions of the wafers W are aligned. Further, thewafers W are arranged in a horizontal direction as in a shelf by a firstposture changing device 124 and then rotated about 90 degrees to have avertical posture. Thereafter, these wafers W are delivered to a transferarm 136 of the processing unit 13, and the transfer arm 136 transfers,for example, fifty wafers W.

Meanwhile, in the second interface room 120 b for unloading, the wafersW transferred by the transfer arm 136 after the cleaning and dryingprocesses in the processing unit 13 are delivered to a second posturechanging device 125 via a delivery arm 126. The wafers W arranged in thevertical posture are changed to have horizontal postures by the secondposture changing device 125, and then the wafers W are accommodated intothe FOUP 7 on the side of the loading/unloading unit 11 by a waferreceiving arm 122.

The wafer W transferred to the transfer arm 136 of the processing unit13 is transferred within the processing unit 13 by the transfer arm 136moving along a transfer rail 137 in a forward/backward direction. Then,in a first processing unit 131 as a processing tank filled with, forexample, APM (Ammonium hydroxide-hydrogen Peroxide-Mixture) solution(i.e., a mixed solution of ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and pure water),the wafer is immersed in this chemical solution, so that particles ororganic contaminants adhering to the wafer W are removed. Thereafter,the wafer W is transferred to a second processing unit 133 as aprocessing tank filled with, for example, HPM (HCl-hydrogenPeroxide-Mixture) solution (i.e., a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid,hydrogen peroxide, and pure water) and immersed in this chemicalsolution, so that metal contaminants adhering to the wafer W areremoved. Between these processing units 131 and 133 and the transfer arm136, the wafers W are delivered via wafer boats 132 and 134 at one time.A reference numeral 135 of FIG. 2 denotes a chuck cleaning unit forcleaning a chuck provided at the transfer arm 136 to hold a wafer.

The wafer W on which various cleaning processes are performed istransferred by the transfer arm 136 to the cleaning/drying unit 2 as asubstrate processing apparatus in accordance with the presentdisclosure. Hereinafter, a detailed configuration of the cleaning/dryingunit 2 will be explained. The cleaning/drying unit 2 consecutivelyperforms two processes in a single unit. The two processes may include acleaning process for cleaning the wafer W by pure water after a chemicaloxide film formed on a surface of the wafer W is removed by a chemicalsolution such as hydrofluoric acid; and a drying process for drying aliquid adhering to the surface of the wafer W by a drying gas includingIPA vapor or a nitrogen gas. FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross sectionalview of the cleaning/drying unit 2 when viewed from the transfer arm136.

The cleaning/drying unit 2 may include a cleaning unit 22 for containinga cleaning solution such as pure water or a chemical solution, forexample, hydrofluoric acid; a drying chamber 21 provided above thecleaning unit 22 so as to communicate with an upper region of an innertank 221 within the cleaning unit 22; a shutter 23 configured to openand close a communication region between the drying chamber 21 and thecleaning unit 22; and a wafer boat 213 serving as a substrate holderthat vertically transfers a multiple number of, for example, fiftywafers W between the inside of the cleaning unit 22 and the inside ofthe drying chamber 21 while holding these wafers W in a vertical posture(i.e., in a longitudinal direction). A reference numeral 216 of FIG. 3denotes an elevating mechanism that elevates the wafer boat 213 inresponse to a control signal from a controller 5 to be described later.

The cleaning unit 22 is made of, for example, quartz or polypropylene.The cleaning unit 22 may include the inner tank 221 having an open topand serving as a cleaning tank of the present embodiment; an outer tank222 provided at an outer periphery of an upper end portion of the innertank 221 and configured to receive a cleaning solution overflowing fromthe inner tank 221; a liquid sealing wall 224 provided at an outerperiphery of the outer tank 222 and configured to separate an innerspace of the cleaning unit 22 from an inner space of a housing 24covering the entire cleaning unit 22; and liquid supply nozzles 223provided at both sides of a lower portion in the inner tank 221 in FIG.3 and configured to inject a cleaning solution supplied from a cleaningsolution supply unit toward the wafer W within the inner tank 221. Areference numeral 251 of FIG. 3 denotes a first liquid drain pathprovided at a bottom of the inner tank 221 and a reference numeral 252denotes a second liquid drain path provided at a bottom of the outertank 222, and opening/closing valves are respectively provided on liquiddrain paths 251 and 252. Further, provided at a bottom of the liquidsealing wall 224 is a non-illustrated liquid drain path for draining aliquid when the liquid-sealing function is not required.

The inner tank 221 is provided in the housing 24 covering the entireinner tank 221, and the housing 24 is provided in front of the secondprocessing unit 133 as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. The housing 24 isvertically divided into an upper space 241 and a lower space 242 by apartition plate 243. The upper space 241 is a space for accommodatingthe cleaning unit 22 and the lower space 242 is a space for draining aliquid from the liquid drain paths 251, 252 and 233 to the outside ofthe cleaning/drying unit 2. In FIG. 3, reference numerals 244 and 245denote gas exhaust windows installed in the upper space 241 and thelower space 242, respectively, and reference numeral 246 denotes a wasteliquid outlet formed in the lower space 242.

The drying chamber 21 may include a hood-shaped drying chamber main body211. The drying chamber main body 211 has an open bottom and U-shapedlongitudinal cross section, and the drying chamber main body 211 is madeof, for example, quartz or polypropylene. Further, the drying chamber 21is provided above the cleaning unit 22 such that a bottom opening ispositioned to face a top opening of the cleaning unit 22 so as to form acommunication region. The drying chamber main body 211 is verticallydivided into, for example, a base body 211 b as a base part fixed to thehousing 24 and a cover body 211 a as an upper part mounted on the basebody 211 b. The cover body 211 a is configured to be vertically movableby a non-illustrated elevating mechanism, and by moving the cover body211 a upward, the wafer W transferred by the transfer arm 136 can beloaded into the cleaning/drying unit 2.

At an upper portion of the base body 211 b of the drying chamber 21, forexample, near a position where the base body 211 b is separated from thecover body 211 a, there are provided, for example, two sets of dryingvapor supply nozzles 212 having a multiple number of supply holes openedupward, for example, to supply a drying gas into the drying chamber 21.Further, by way of example, at a base end of the base body 211 b, thereis provided a gas exhaust line 214 for exhausting the drying gas fromthe drying chamber 21 toward, for example, an external waste gasscrubber. A reference numeral 215 of FIG. 3 denotes a gas exhaustcontroller such as a control valve that controls an exhaust amount ofthe drying gas from the drying chamber 21 in response to a controlsignal from the controller 5 to be described later.

The wafer boat 213 within the cleaning/drying unit 2 is configured to bevertically movable between a delivery position of the wafer W withrespect to the transfer arm 136, a drying position in the drying chamber21, and a cleaning position in the cleaning unit 22 by the elevatingmechanism 216. In FIG. 3, the wafer boat 213 is illustrated by a solidline at the drying position and by a dashed dotted line at the cleaningposition.

Further, in the middle position between the drying chamber 21 and thecleaning unit 22 having the openings communicating with each other,there is provided the shutter 23 configured to open and close thecommunication region between the drying chamber 21 and the cleaning unit22 by moving, for example, from side to side in a horizontal directionin FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, a reference numeral 231 denotes a container towhich the shutter 23 retreats when the communication region is opened; areference numeral 232 denotes a liquid storage that receives thecleaning solution dripping from the shutter 23; and a reference numeral233 denotes a liquid drain path equipped with an opening/closing valvefor draining the cleaning solution stored in the liquid storage 232.Further, a reference numeral 234 denotes a leakage preventing wallinserted into the liquid sealing wall 224 in order to prevent a gasleakage in the liquid sealing wall 224.

FIG. 4 shows a configuration of a drying gas supply unit 3 that suppliesa gas for drying the wafer W to the drying chamber 21 and aconfiguration of a cleaning solution supply unit 4 that supplies acleaning solution to the cleaning unit 22. The drying gas supply unit 3supplies a mixed gas of IPA vapor and a nitrogen gas (first drying gas)from IPA and the nitrogen gas as an inert gas each supplied from a IPAsupply system and a nitrogen gas supply system in order to remove water(liquid) adhering to the surface of the wafer W. Further, the drying gassupply unit 3 supplies a single nitrogen gas (second drying gas) forevaporating the IPA carrying the water from the surface of the wafer Wto the drying chamber 21. Therefore, the drying gas supply unit 3 inaccordance with the present embodiment serves as a first drying gassupply unit for supplying the first drying gas and also serves as asecond drying gas supply unit for supplying the second drying gas. Thedrying gas supply unit 3 is provided, for example, on the side of a rearsurface of the cleaning/drying unit 2 as depicted in FIG. 1.

The drying gas supply unit 3 may include a gas generation unit 33 thatgenerates the first drying gas by evaporating the IPA from a mixed fluidof a nitrogen gas and IPA mist. The gas generation unit 33 is connectedwith the IPA supply system and the nitrogen supply system. The IPAsupply system may include an IPA tank 311 as an intermediate tank forreceiving a liquid (IPA) from an external IPA supply source 31 andtemporarily storing the liquid (IPA); a supply controller 312 fordelivering a predetermined amount of liquid (IPA) from the IPA tank 311to a downstream side; and a filter 313 for removing particles containedin the liquid (IPA). The IPA tank 311, the supply controller 312 and thefilter 313 are provided in this sequence on IPA supply lines 314 a and314 b. As depicted in FIG. 4, the supply controller 312 of the IPAsupply system may include, for example, a reciprocating pump P and anopening/closing valve V1.

Meanwhile, the nitrogen supply system may include a supply controller321 for receiving a predetermined amount of nitrogen gas from, forexample, an external nitrogen supply source 32; and a filter 322 forremoving particles contained in the nitrogen gas. The supply controller321 and the filter 322 are provided in this sequence on a part of anitrogen supply line 323. The supply controller 321 may include anopening/closing valve V2 and a mass flow controller M. The IPA supplyline 314 b and the nitrogen supply line 323 are connected with a commontwo-fluid nozzle 35, so that the mixed fluid of the nitrogen gas and theIPA mist obtained by spraying the liquid (IPA) in mist form into anitrogen gas atmosphere flowing in the two-fluid nozzle 35 can bedischarged toward the gas generation unit 33 as a rear part through amixed fluid supply line 351.

The gas generation unit 33 heats the mixed fluid of the nitrogen gas andmist of the IPA supplied from the two-fluid nozzle 35 and generates amixed gas of IPA vapor and a nitrogen gas serving as the first dryinggas. The gas generation unit 33 may include a main body container 331divided into, for example, five small rooms. In each room, there isprovided a heating unit 334 for heating the mixed fluid of the IPA andthe nitrogen gas. Each heating unit 334 may include a halogen lamp 332formed into, for example, a straight rod shape; and a spiral tube 333positioned around the halogen lamp 332 so as to be spaced apart from thehalogen lamp 332 in a diametric direction and extended in a spiral shapein a longitudinal direction of the halogen lamp 332.

The spiral tube 333 is formed of a stainless steel pipe painted, forexample, black to make it easy to absorb radiant heat from the halogenlamp 332. Further, the spiral tube 333 is formed into a spiral shapesuch that adjacent lines arranged in the longitudinal direction arebrought into contact with each other, and, thus, it is difficult forradiant heat from the halogen lamp 332 to leak through a gap between thelines of the spiral tube 333 to the outside. Further, since a nitrogengas is supplied to each room of the main body container 331 from anon-illustrated nitrogen gas supply source, it is possible to preventpenetration of IPA vapor to the heating atmosphere from an externalatmosphere.

The spiral tubes 333 of the heating units 334 are connected in serieswith each other so as to form a single flow path through which the mixedfluid flows. Further, one end on an upstream side is connected with themixed fluid supply line 351 and the other end on a downstream side isconnected with an IPA vapor supply line 341 for supplying IPA vapor tothe drying chamber 21. For example, among five heating units 334arranged in series, two heating units 334 on the upstream side evaporatemist of the IPA of the mixed fluid. The other three heating units 334prevent condensation of the IPA by increasing a temperature of the firstdrying gas, i.e., the mixed fluid of the nitrogen gas and the IPA vaporobtained by evaporating the IPA, so as to allow the temperature to be ina range of about 150° C. to about 200° C., for example, about 190° C.higher than the dew point of the IPA vapor such that the first dryinggas is overheated. The first drying gas generated as described above isdischarged to the drying gas supply nozzles 212 within the dryingchamber 21 through the IPA vapor supply line 341. A reference numeral 36of FIG. 4 denotes a metal filter for removing particles contained in thedrying gas.

In each heating unit 334 of the gas generation unit 33, anon-illustrated temperature detector is provided, and, thus, forexample, an outlet temperature of the mixed fluid flowing through eachspiral tube 333 can be detected. Further, such a temperature detectionresult may be outputted to the controller 5 to be described later andfed back to a power supply unit 335 for supplying power to each halogenlamp 332 as a control amount of supplied power and, thus, a temperaturecontrol of each heating unit 334 is performed.

By way of example, if a pattern of a resist film for a KrF excimer laserexposure is formed on the surface of the wafer W, nitrogen in a range ofabout 100 liters/min to about 200 liters/min, for example, about 120liters/min, is supplied from the nitrogen supply system at, e.g., astandard temperature and pressure (0° C., 1 atm) and likewsie, IPA vaporin a range of about 0.2 cc/sec to about 0.4 cc/sec, for example, about0.2 cc/sec, is supplied at a standard temperature and pressure.

The supply controller 312 of the IPA can start or stop the supply of theIPA to the two-fluid nozzle 35 in response to an instruction of thecontroller 5. If the supply of the IPA is stopped, only the nitrogen iscontinuously supplied to the gas generation unit 33 from the nitrogensupply system. Here, if the supply of the IPA is stopped and thenitrogen gas is supplied to the gas generation unit 33, a power from thepower supply unit 335 is controlled based on a temperature detectionresult detected by the temperature detector of each heating unit 334. Asa result, by way of example, the nitrogen having a temperature increasedto the same level as a temperature of the first drying gas istransferred as a second drying gas to the drying gas supply nozzle 212via the IPA vapor supply line 341. Here, a temperature of the seconddrying gas is not limited to the same level as the temperature of thefirst drying gas but may be higher or lower than the temperature of thefirst drying gas.

A component of the drying gas supply unit 3 for supplying the firstdrying gas is not limited to the gas generation unit 33 that includesthe halogen lamps 332 and the spiral tubes 333 and is configured to mixmist of the IPA with the nitrogen serving as a carrier gas and heat themixed fluid so as to render the IPA overheated. Any component can beemployed if it is possible to switchably supply the first drying gasincluding the IPA vapor and the nitrogen and the second drying gasincluding the nitrogen. By way of example, the first drying gas may begenerated by heating a mixed gas of IPA and a nitrogen gas obtained bymaking bubbles of nitrogen in a liquid (IPA) or may be generated bymixing IPA and nitrogen after a liquid (IPA) is heated and evaporated.In the former case, the second drying gas may be obtained by bypassingthe liquid (IPA) and stopping making bubbles, and in the latter case,the second drying gas may be obtained by stopping mixing the IPA withthe nitrogen.

Hereinafter, the cleaning solution supply unit 4 will be explained. Inthe cleaning solution supply unit 4, a first branch line 402 connectedwith a pure water, e.g., DIW (DeIonized Water) supply line 41 and asecond branch line 403 connected with a DHF (Diluted Hydrogen Fluoride)supply line 42 are joined and connected with a common cleaning solutionsupply line 401. The DIW and the DHF are used as cleaning solutions inthe present embodiment. The cleaning solution supply line 401 mayinclude a supply controller 43 that transfers cleaning solutionsreceived through each branch line 402 and 403 to the cleaning unit 22;and a filter 44 that removes particles contained in the cleaningsolutions. Here, the supply controller 43 and the filter 44 are providedin this sequence from an upstream side. Further, the cleaning solutionssupplied to the supply controller 43 are switched by a non-illustratedswitching valve, so that it is possible to supply the DIW and the DHF tothe cleaning unit 22 while switching them. The supply controller 43 mayinclude, for example, a liquid pump P and an opening/closing valve V3.In the same manner as the drying gas supply unit 3, the cleaningsolution supply unit 4 is provided, for example, on the side of the rearsurface of the cleaning/drying unit 2 as depicted in FIG. 1.

The wafer cleaning system 1 configured as described above and thecleaning/drying unit 2 provided therein are connected with thecontroller 5 as depicted in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4. The controller 5 may becomposed of a computer including, for example, a non-illustrated CPU anda memory. Stored in the storage unit is a program including a step(instruction) group for controlling an operation of the wafer cleaningsystem 1, i.e., an operation in which the FOUP 7 is loaded into theloading/unloading unit 11, the wafer W is taken out from the FOUP 7,various liquid and drying processes are performed on the wafer W, thewafer W is accommodated into the FOUP 7, and the FOUP 7 is unloaded fromthe loading/unloading unit 11. This program may be stored in a storagemedium such as a hard disk, a compact disk, a magnet optical disk or amemory card and may be installed in the computer.

Further, stored in the storage unit (storage medium) of the controller 5is a program for controlling a supply timing of a cleaning solution, alifting speed of the wafer boat 213, a supply timing of first and seconddrying gases or a supply amount of first and second drying gases when acleaning process is performed on a wafer W by a cleaning solution in thecleaning unit 22 of the cleaning/drying unit 2 and a drying process isperformed on the wafer W picked up from the cleaning solution by adrying gas. Hereinafter, operations of cleaning and drying processes forthe wafer W performed by the cleaning/drying unit 2 based on theseprograms will be explained.

The wafer W taken out from the FOUP 7 loaded into the loading/unloadingunit 11 of the wafer cleaning system 1 is transferred to the transferarm 136 via the interface unit 12, and for example, fifty wafers W aretransferred to the first and second processing units 131 and 133 insequence. Then, a predetermined liquid process is performed on thewafers W and the wafers W are transferred into the cleaning/drying unit2 by the transfer arm 136.

When the wafer W is transferred into the cleaning/drying unit 2, asdepicted in FIGS. 2 and 5A, the cover body 211 a is moved upward to openthe drying chamber main body 211 (illustration of the cover body 211 ais omitted in FIG. 5A), the wafer boat 213 is moved upward to a transferposition and the wafer W is received by the wafer boat 213 from thetransfer arm 136. At this time, the inner tank 221 of the cleaning unit22 is filled with a cleaning solution such as DHF, and as shown by aflowchart of a supply of a cleaning solution in FIG. 7( c), the DHF iscontinuously supplied through the liquid supply nozzles 223, so that thecleaning solution overflows from the inner tank 221 to the outer tank222 and is drained through the second liquid drain path 252. Further,gas exhaust is constantly performed through the gas exhaust line 214during each operation of loading, cleaning, drying, and unloading thewafer W.

When the transfer arm 136 is retreated from the cleaning/drying unit 2after the wafer W is transferred to the wafer boat 213 by the transferarm 136, the shutter 23 is opened and the wafer boat 213 is moveddownward to the cleaning position, so that a cleaning process is startedby immersing the wafer W in the cleaning solution filled in the innertank 221, as depicted in FIG. 5B. At the same time, the shutter 23 isclosed and the cover body 211 a is moved downward so as to airtightlyseal the cleaning unit 22 and the drying chamber 21.

The DHF supplied through the liquid supply nozzles 223 flows on asurface of the wafer W immersed in the cleaning solution, so that achemical oxide film formed on the surface of the wafer W is removed.Then, after the lapse of a predetermined time, as shown in FIG. 7( c),the cleaning solution in the inner tank 221 is changed by switching thecleaning solution supplied through the liquid supply nozzles 223 fromthe DHF to the DIW, and, thus, the DHF adhering to the wafer W iscleaned and the cleaning process to the wafer W is completed.

In this way, the cleaning process is performed on the wafer W by the DIWfor a predetermined time period, and the shutter 23 is opened severalminutes, for example, about 2 minutes to about 4 minutes before thecleaning process is completed. Thereafter, as depicted in FIGS. 7A and7B, the drying chamber 21 and the upper region of the inner tank 221 arefilled with a first drying gas, i.e., a mixed gas of IPA and nitrogen,supplied from the drying gas supply unit 3.

The first drying gas is filled in an upper region of the cleaning tank,and the predetermined time for the cleaning process by the DIW passesby. Then, as depicted in FIG. 6A, the wafer boat 213 is moved upward,and the wafer W is picked up from the cleaning solution and deliveredfrom the cleaning unit 22 to the drying chamber 21. At this time, aspace where the wafer W is delivered is filled with the first drying gasincluding the IPA vapor and the nitrogen gas serving as a carrier gas,and, thus, if a pattern of, for example, a resist film is in contactwith the first drying gas for a long time, the miniaturized pattern maybe deformed into a taper pattern, a collapsed pattern, a disappearedpattern or dissolved pattern as described in the background of theinvention. Meanwhile, if the wafer W is picked up to the space where thefirst drying gas is not supplied, the DIW on the surface of the wafer Wmay be dried during the delivery and water marks may be formed.

Thus, in the cleaning/drying unit 2 in accordance with the presentembodiment, when the wafer W is moved upward by the wafer boat 213, thesupply and stop of the supply of the IPA to the gas generation unit 33is performed intermittently while a nitrogen gas is continuouslysupplied as depicted in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Accordingly, the moment thewhole wafer W is immersed in the DIW, the first drying gas and thesecond drying gas are started to be supplied alternately, and after anupper end of the wafer W is picked up from a liquid surface of thecleaning solution, the first drying gas and the second drying gas arealready supplied alternately into the upper region of the inner tank 221and the drying chamber 21, i.e., a space where the wafer W being movedis exposed.

Herein, a state where the second drying gas does “not contain IPA vapor”may include not only a state where a concentration of IPA in the gas isabout 0 but also a state where the supply of the IPA is substantiallystopped. By way of example, after the supply of the IPA from the IPAsupply system to the gas generation unit 33 is stopped, IPA remaining inthe gas generation unit or the IPA vapor supply line 341 as a rear partis pushed out by a nitrogen gas and a drying gas is supplied into thedrying chamber 21. Such a drying gas serves as the second drying gaswhich does “not contain IPA vapor.”

As described above, by alternately supplying the first drying gas andthe second drying gas, by way of example, while the first drying gas issupplied, the DIW from the surface of the wafer W is delivered to theIPA of the first drying gas, and then while the second drying gas issupplied, the IPA which delivers the water is volatilized from thesurface of the wafer W. Thus, a concentration of the IPA on the surfaceof the wafer W can be kept low and generation of water marks due toevaporation of the water can be suppressed while the wafer W is pickedup.

If a resist film for a KrF exposure is used, a supply time ratio of thefirst drying gas and the second drying gas may be set to be in a rangeof about 1:1 to about 1:10, for example, about 1:2. Further, by way ofexample, when the wafer W of, for example, about 300 mm is picked upfrom the cleaning solution, a lifting speed of the wafer boat 213 is setto be in a range of from about 2 mm/sec to about 10 mm/sec, for example,about 10 mm/sec and a cycle which is a time period required to supplythe first drying gas and the second drying gas one time may be set to,for example, about 15 seconds. Herein, a supply time of the first dryinggas is about 5 seconds and a supply time of the second drying gas isabout 10 seconds.

As described above, when the lifting speed of the wafer boat 213 is setto about 10 mm/sec and the supply time of the first drying gas is set toabout 5 seconds and the supply time of the second drying gas is set toabout 10 seconds in one cycle, the first drying gas and the seconddrying gas are supplied alternately for about 30 seconds, for example,about two-cycle period, until the whole wafer W is picked up after afront end of the wafer W of about 300 mm is exposed to a drying gasatmosphere. Further, if a resist film for an ArF exposure is used,desirably, a supply time ratio of the first drying gas and the seconddrying gas may be set to be in a range of about 1:1 to about 1:10.

It may not be necessary to supply in advance the first drying gas intothe drying chamber 21 and an atmosphere above the cleaning solution inthe cleaning unit 22, for example, about 2 minutes to about 4 minutesbefore the wafer boat 213 is lifted upward. By way of example, bothdrying gases may be supplied alternately such that the first drying gasis first supplied and then the second drying gas is supplied when thewafer W is picked up.

Further, when the wafer W is picked up, in the cleaning unit 22, the DIWmay be supplied through the liquid supply nozzles 223 toward the innertank 221 in time for timing of supplying the first drying gas asdepicted in FIG. 7( c). With this operation, while the first drying gasis supplied, the cleaning solution overflows from the inner tank 221toward the outer tank 222, and, thus, IPA dissolved in the cleaningsolution flows downward on the surface of the wafer W near a gas-liquidinterface. Therefore, tapering or collapse of the resist film can besuppressed. Meanwhile, while the second drying gas is supplied, a supplyof the cleaning solution is stopped, and, thus, a flow of the liquid isstopped and it is possible to prevent the DIW or minute particlescontained in the liquid from adhering to the surface of the wafer again.Further, intermittent supplies of the DIW to the inner tank 221 are notlimited to be performed at the exactly same time when the first dryinggas is supplied. By way of example, the DIW may be supplied severalseconds, for example, about 1 second to about 2 seconds in the presentembodiment after the first drying gas is supplied. In this case, thesupply of the DIW may be stopped at the same time when the supply of thefirst drying gas is stopped or may be stopped several seconds later.

When the whole wafer W is picked up from the cleaning solution, thelifting speed of the wafer boat 213 may be increased to, for example,about 200 mm/sec and the wafer W is loaded into the drying chamber 21and then the shutter 23 is closed to isolate the drying chamber 21 fromthe cleaning unit 22. In this case, as depicted in FIGS. 7A and 7B, thefirst drying gas and the second drying gas are supplied alternatelythrough the drying gas supply nozzles 212 (FIG. 6B). The IPA vaporsupplied into the drying chamber 21 flows upward along inner surfaces ofboth sidewalls of the drying chamber main body 211 and flows downwardfrom a top area of the drying chamber main body 211, and then it isdischarged to the outside through the gas exhaust line 214 as indicatedby arrows in FIG. 6B. In the present embodiment, there has beenexplained a case where the lifting speed of the wafer boat 213 isincreased to about 200 mm/sec in order to reduce a processing time, buteven after the whole wafer W is picked up from the cleaning solution,the wafer boat 213 may be lifted upward at a speed in theabove-described range of from about 2 mm/sec to about 10 mm/sec.

During this operation, the delivery of the DIW to the surface of thewafer W by the IPA of the first drying gas is performed alternately withthe volatilization of the IPA which delivers the water from the surfaceof the wafer W. Consequently, a drying process can be performed on thewafer W while reducing effects of the IPA on the resist film andsuppressing generation of water marks.

Further, since the supply of the IPA to the surface of the wafer W isperformed alternately with the volatilization of the IPA, aconcentration of the IPA on the surface of the wafer W can be suppressedto be low and condensation of the IPA on the surface of the wafer W canbe suppressed. Accordingly, even if the wafer W is picked up from thecleaning solution in a longitudinal direction, it is difficult to form aliquid film of the IPA. Therefore, even after the wafer W is cleaned,downflow of particles due to a downward flow of the IPA from a peripheryarea where relatively many particles remain can be suppressed, so thatit is possible to prevent contamination of a central area maintained ina clean state after the cleaning process.

Further, the first drying gas and the second drying gas may be suppliedalternately before the wafer W is picked up. Accordingly, theconcentration of the IPA vapor is suppressed to be low, and, thus, it ismore difficult to form a liquid film of the IPA on the surface of thewafer W. Even if the liquid film is formed, it can be made very thin anddownflow of particles can be suppressed.

In this way, after the drying process is performed for a predeterminedtime while the first drying gas and the second drying gas are suppliedalternately, the supply of the drying gas into the drying chamber 21 isstopped and the drying chamber 21 is filled with, for example, anitrogen gas of a normal temperature. Then, the cover body 211 a of thedrying chamber main body 211 is moved upward, and the wafer W isdelivered from the wafer boat 213 to the transfer arm 136. Then, thewafer W is accommodated in the FOUP 7 via the second interface room 120b. The FOUP 7 is taken out from the loading/unloading unit 11 anddelivered to an external transfer robot to be forwarded to the nextprocess. In the wafer cleaning system 1 in accordance with the presentembodiment, the above-described operations are consecutively carriedout, and several hundreds of wafers W may be processed in an hour.

The cleaning/drying unit 2 in accordance with the present embodiment haseffects as described below. After the wafer W is cleaned, the cleaningsolution is dried by alternately supplying the first drying gascontaining the IPA vapor for removing a liquid and the second drying gaswithout containing the IPA vapor to the area where the wafer picked upfrom the cleaning solution is exposed. Accordingly, removal of the waterfrom the surface of the wafer W by the IPA vapor can be performedalternately with the evaporation of the IPA. Consequently, aconcentration of a solvent on the surface of the wafer W becomes low,and, thus, generation of water marks can be reduced while suppressingeffects on a pattern formed on the surface of the wafer W.

Referring to FIG. 3, there has been explained the cleaning/drying unit 2in which the drying chamber 21 and the cleaning unit 22 (inner tank 221)are vertically stacked. However, the drying chamber 21 and the cleaningunit 22 may be arranged, for example, in a horizontal direction. In thiscase, if the upper region of the inner tank 221 communicates with thedrying chamber 21 and the wafer W picked up from the cleaning solutionis delivered to the drying chamber 21 passing through the communicatedspace, it is possible to obtain the same operation and effects of thecleaning/drying unit 2 as described above. That is, from a period of adelivery of the wafer W to a period of a dry process in the dryingchamber 21, the first drying gas containing the IPA vapor and the seconddrying gas without containing the IPA vapor are supplied to the areawhere the wafer W is exposed, and, thus, the wafer W can be dried whilereducing effects on a pattern made of a material including an organicmaterial such as a resist film and suppressing generation of watermarks.

The pattern made of the material including the organic material to whichthe present disclosure is applicable is not limited to the resist film.By way of example, it is possible to perform a drying process on a waferW provided with an organic film used in, e.g., a dual damascene processwhile suppressing generation of water marks and reducing effects on apattern formed of the organic film.

Further, the solvent to which the present disclosure is applicable isnot limited to the IPA, and vapor of other solvents may be used as longas the process can proceed successfully. Furthermore, other liquids thanthe DIW can be used as the cleaning solution.

In FIG. 7( c), while the wafer W is picked up, when the first drying gasand the second drying gas are supplied alternately, the DIW is suppliedintermittently to the inner tank 221 at the same time when the firstdrying gas containing the IPA vapor is supplied. However, a sequence ofsupplying the DIW is not limited thereto. By way of example, while thewafer W is picked up, the first drying gas and the second drying gas maybe supplied alternately and the DIW may be continuously supplied. Eventhough the DIW is continuously supplied, the cleaning solution overflowsfrom the inner tank 221 toward the outer tank 222, so that tapering orcollapse of the resist film can be suppressed by reducing aconcentration of the IPA in the DIW. Further, a thin liquid film of theIPA is formed on the surface of the wafer W, and, thus, downflow ofparticles can be suppressed.

Regarding the timing for supplying the first drying gas and the DIWwhile the wafer W is picked up, if the DIW is supplied based on a supplyof the first drying gas, which is within a scope of the presentdisclosure. As described above, by way of example, the DIW may besupplied before or after the supply of the first drying gas, or the DIWmay be supplied while the supply of the first drying gas is stopped,i.e., while the second drying gas is supplied. In these cases, it ispossible to obtain the above-described effect caused by overflow of theDIW from the inner tank 221 as compared to a case where the DIW is notsupplied.

Further, in the present embodiment, the first drying gas and the seconddrying gas are supplied from the common drying gas supply unit 3, but itmay be possible to provide another drying gas supply unit to separatelysupply these gases. By way of example, it may be possible to provide agas supply unit for supplying the first and second drying gases to theupper region of the inner tank 221 and another gas supply unit forsupplying the first and second drying gases to the drying chamber 21. Inthis case, the drying gas supply unit for supplying the first drying gasto the upper region of the inner tank 221 and the drying chamber 21 mayserve as a first drying gas supply unit and the drying gas supply unitfort supplying the second drying gas to the upper region of the innertank 221 and the drying chamber 21 may serve as a second drying gassupply unit.

Hereinafter, a substrate processing method in accordance with a secondembodiment will be explained. The substrate processing method inaccordance with the second embodiment can be performed by thecleaning/drying unit 2 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5A to 6B and thedrying gas supply unit 3 illustrated in FIG. 4. Therefore, the samecomponents as those of the cleaning/drying unit 2 or the drying gassupply unit 3 in accordance with the first embodiment will be assignedsame reference numerals as shown in these drawings.

In the same manner as the cleaning/drying unit 2 in accordance with thefirst embodiment, a cleaning/drying unit 2 in accordance with the secondembodiment supplies a gas containing IPA vapor (solvent vapor) to anarea of a drying chamber 21 to which a wafer W picked up from a cleaningsolution after a cleaning process is delivered. However, the secondembodiment is different from the first embodiment in that aconcentration of the solvent of the gas supplied to the area is highenough to form a liquid film on a surface of the wafer W. Further, thesecond embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that when adrying process is performed on the wafer W delivered to the dryingchamber 21, there is supplied IPA vapor having a higher concentrationthan that of IPA vapor supplied when the wafer W is picked up.

By way of example, in the cleaning/drying unit 2 in accordance with thesecond embodiment, when the wafer is picked up from the cleaningsolution as depicted in FIG. 6A after a cleaning process (FIG. 5B),supply and stop of the supply of IPA into a gas generation unit 33 isintermittently supplied or stopped while a nitrogen gas is continuouslysupplied (see flowcharts of a supply in FIGS. 8A and 8B). Consequently,after an upper end of the wafer W is picked up from a liquid surface ofthe cleaning solution, a gas containing the IPA vapor and another gaswithout containing the IPA vapor are supplied alternately into an upperregion of an inner tank 221 and the drying chamber 21, i.e., a spacewhere the wafer W being moved is exposed. This operation is the same asdescribed in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B.

In the present embodiment, an average concentration (firstconcentration) of the IPA vapor (first gas) of the gas supplied to thespace where the wafer W is exposed is maintained such that a thin liquidfilm can be formed on the surface of the wafer W by the cleaningsolution adhering to the wafer W or the IPA vapor dissolved in thecleaning solution. However, the liquid film formed on the surface of thewafer W needs to be thin enough not to flow down in order to preventcontamination of the wafer W as described in the background of theinvention.

By forming the thin liquid film containing the IPA on the surface, thewafer W can be transferred to the drying chamber 21 while suppressinggeneration of water marks. In other words, the gas of the firstconcentration is used to allow the liquid film to remain on the surfacewithout drying the surface of the wafer W while the wafer W istransferred to the drying chamber 21, and the concentration is adjustedin a range of about 150 volumetric ppm to about 250 volumetric ppm, forexample, to about 200 volumetric ppm.

Thereafter, when the wafer W is loaded into the drying chamber 21 asdescribed above and the shutter 23 is closed as depicted in FIG. 6B, anaverage concentration of the IPA vapor (second gas) supplied into thedrying chamber 21 is adjusted in a range of about 250 volumetric ppm toabout 400 volumetric ppm, for example, to about 300 volumetric ppm(second concentration) higher than the first concentration.Consequently, the IPA is condensed on the surface of the wafer W, and,thus, a concentration of the cleaning solution in the liquid film isdecreased. Then, after the lapse of a predetermined time, when thesupply of the IPA vapor is stopped and the inside of the drying chamber21 is continuously evacuated, the IPA containing the cleaning solutionof a low concentration is evaporated. Therefore, the wafer W can bedried without generating water marks. Since the wafer W loaded into thedrying chamber 21 is in a stationary state, even though a liquid filmformed on the surface of the wafer W becomes thick by supplying IPAvapor of a higher concentration than IPA vapor when the wafer W ismoved, it is difficult for the liquid film to flow down.

In a liquid processing method in accordance with the second embodiment,while the wafer W is moved, a thin liquid film can be formed on thesurface of the wafer W by supplying the first gas containing IPA vaporof the relatively low concentration (first concentration). Accordingly,contamination of the wafer W or generation of water marks can besuppressed while preventing the liquid film from flowing down andpreventing the surface of the wafer W from being dried. Further, afterthe wafer W is loaded into the drying chamber 21, the second gascontaining IPA vapor of the concentration (second concentration) higherthan the first concentration is supplied, and, thus, a greater amount ofIPA than IPA supplied when the wafer W is moved is condensed on thesurface of the wafer W. Therefore, it is possible to dilute the cleaningsolution adhering to the surface of the wafer W and then the IPA isevaporated, so that the cleaning solution adhering to the surface of thewafer W can be removed while preventing generation of water marks.

The concentration (first concentration) of the IPA of the first gasvaries depending on materials or a pattern shape on the surface of thewafer W and is not limited to the above-described range (i.e., fromabout 150 volumetric ppm to about 250 volumetric ppm). Anotherconcentration can be used if it is possible to form a liquid film thinenough not to flow on the surface of the wafer W which is picked up fromthe cleaning solution and transferred to the drying chamber 21. An upperlimit of the first concentration can be determined from a concentrationimmediately before contamination of the wafer W caused by the liquidfilm flowing down can be seen by repeatedly performing a preliminaryexperiment in which the wafer W is dried while a concentration of IPAvapor is gradually increased. Likewise, a lower limit of the firstconcentration can be determined from a concentration immediately beforewater marks beyond a tolerance limit are generated by repeatedlyperforming a preliminary experiment in which the wafer W is dried whilethe concentration of the IPA vapor is gradually decreased.

Meanwhile, a lower limit of the concentration (second concentration) ofthe IPA of the second gas is defined by the first concentration, andused as an upper limit thereof is a concentration immediately beforecontamination of the wafer W caused by the liquid film flowing down canbe seen by repeatedly performing a preliminary experiment in which theliquid film is condensed in the drying chamber 21. Therefore, the secondconcentration is not limited to the above-described range (i.e., fromabout 250 volumetric ppm to about 400 volumetric ppm).

A method of changing a concentration of IPA vapor from a firstconcentration to a second concentration is not limited to a case whereif a gas containing IPA vapor and a gas without containing the IPA vaporare alternately supplied intermittently, a supply time of the IPA vaporis increased as depicted in FIGS. 8A and 8B. Contrary to the case shownin FIG. 8( a), a stoppage time of the IPA may be decreased, or asdepicted in FIGS. 9( a) and 9(b), after the wafer W is loaded into thedrying chamber 21, the intermittent supply of the IPA vapor is changedto a continuous supply to obtain the second concentration.

Further, by way of example, as depicted in FIGS. 10( a) and 10(b), IPAvapor and a nitrogen gas as a dilution gas are continuously supplied tochange a mixing ratio thereof. In this way, a concentration of the IPAvapor can be changed from the first concentration to the secondconcentration.

Otherwise, by way of example, if IPA vapor is generated by makingbubbles of a carrier gas such as a nitrogen gas in a liquid IPA insteadof using the drying gas supply unit 3 illustrated in FIG. 4, a saturatedvapor amount of the IPA is defined depending on a temperature of thecarrier gas at the time of making bubbles and a concentration of the IPAmay become nearly constant. In this case, as depicted in FIG. 11, byincreasing a gas supply amount at the time of performing a dryingprocess in the drying chamber 21 with respect to a gas supply amount atthe time of moving the wafer W, the concentration of the IPA vapor canbe changed. By way of example, if a gas exhaust amount from the gasexhaust line 214 is constant at the time of moving the wafer W and atthe time of performing the drying process, by increasing the gas supplyamount, a voltage in the system is increased and also a partial pressureof the IPA is increased. Thus, an actual concentration of the IPAsupplied to the surface of the wafer W becomes increased.

In the above-described embodiments, there has been explained a casewhere the wafer W is picked up to the drying chamber 21, but it may bepossible to discharge a rinse solution in the cleaning tank (inner tank221) and supply IPA vapor into the cleaning tank instead of moving thewafer W to the drying chamber 21.

EXPERIMENTAL EXAMPLE Experiment 1

With respect to the substrate process in accordance with the firstembodiment explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7, an effect on awafer W on which a resist film is formed has been studied by changingthe kind of a drying gas and a method of supplying the drying gas.

A. Experimental Conditions

cleaning and drying processes are performed on a 300 mm wafer W on whicha trench pattern 80 made of a KrF resist film is formed by acleaning/drying unit 2 depicted in FIG. 3, and then removability ofparticles, an effect on a resist, generation of water marks, anddownflow of particles have been observed.

Experimental Example 1-1

Based on a sequence of a supply of a drying gas and a cleaning solutiondescribed in FIGS. 7A to 7C, cleaning and drying processes have beenperformed on a wafer. Here, unlike FIG. 7( c), while the wafer W ispicked up (moved), a supply of the cleaning solution is stopped and anintermittent supply of the cleaning solution is not performed.

First drying gas: about 120 liter per minute of nitrogen and about 0.2cc per second of IPA vapor (concentration of IPA: about 100 volumetricppm)

Second drying gas: about 120 liter per minute of nitrogen

Supply time in one cycle: First drying gas supply time of about 5seconds and second drying gas supply time of about 10 seconds (a totalof 16 cycles including a pick-up time have been performed)

Pick-up speed of a wafer W: about 10 mm/sec

Comparative Example

Unlike the experimental example 1-1, only a first drying gas iscontinuously supplied. A wafer W is picked up under an atmosphere of thefirst drying gas at a speed of about 50 mm/sec. Then, a shutter 23 isclosed and a drying process is performed on the wafer W in a dryingchamber 21 for about 90 seconds while continuously supplying the firstdrying gas.

Comparative Example 1-2

Unlike the experimental example 1-1, only a second drying gas iscontinuously supplied. A wafer W is picked up under an atmosphere of thesecond drying gas at a speed of about 50 mm/sec. Then, a shutter 23 isclosed and a drying process is performed on the wafer W in a dryingchamber 21 for about 1200 seconds while continuously supplying the firstdrying gas.

B. Experimental Data

Table 1 shows experimental data obtained from an evaluation of theabove-described experimental example and comparative examples onevaluation items as follows.

TABLE 1 Down- General Removing Effect Water flow of evalua- particles onresist marks particles tion Experimental Favorable Negative FavorableNegative ∘ example 1-1 (Intermittent supply of IPA) ExperimentalFavorable Positive Favorable Positive x example 1-1 (Continuous supplyof IPA) Comparative Slightly Negative Poor Negative x example 1-2favorable (Only N₂)

According to the experimental data shown in Table 1, in the experimentalexample 1-1 where the first drying gas and the second drying gas aresupplied alternately, it has been observed that removability ofparticles is favorable and particles do not adhere again after acleaning process. Further, it has not been observed that a resistpattern is tapered, collapsed, dissolved or disappears, and water marksare generated in a target range. Furthermore, it has not been observedthat particles in a peripheral area flow down. In view of this fact, asa general evaluation, it is deemed that cleaning and drying processes inwhich the first drying gas and the second drying gas are suppliedalternately have little effect on the resist pattern and make itpossible to obtain a favorable cleaning result.

On the contrary, in the comparative example 1-1 where the first dryinggas is continuously supplied, it has been observed that a resist patternis collapsed and particles in a peripheral area flow down. Further, inthe comparative example 1-2 where only the second drying gas iscontinuously supplied, water marks are generated since IPA is notsupplied. In view of this result, it can be seen that a process inaccordance with the experimental example 1-1 where the first drying gasand the second drying gas are supplied alternately is effective.

Experiment 2

A mixing amount of IPA vapor in a first drying gas is changed, and aneffect on a resist pattern has been checked.

A. Experimental Conditions Experimental Example 2-1

An experiment has been conducted under the same conditions as in theexperimental example 1-1.

Experimental Example 2-2

An experiment has been conducted under the same conditions as in theexperimental example 1-1 except that a mixing amount of IPA vapor isabout 0.4 cc/sec (concentration of IPA: about 200 volumetric ppm).

Experimental Example 2-3

An experiment has been conducted under the same conditions as in theexperimental example 1-1 except that a mixing amount of IPA vapor isabout 0.6 cc/sec (concentration of IPA: about 300 volumetric ppm).

Experimental Example 2-4

An experiment has been conducted under the same conditions as in theexperimental example 1-1 except that a mixing amount of IPA vapor isabout 0.8 cc/sec (concentration of IPA: about 400 volumetric ppm).

Table 2 shows data of an effect on a resist pattern in each experimentalexample as follows.

TABLE 2 Processed resist pattern Experimental Favorable example 2-1Experimental Favorable example 2-2 Experimental Slightly favorableexample 2-3 Experimental Slightly favorable example 2-4

According to the results of the experimental examples 2-1 to 2-4, it hasnot been observed that a resist pattern is collapsed or disappears.However, it has been observed that as a concentration of IPA vapor isincreased, the resist pattern is gradually dissolved. Evaluated fromthis viewpoint, it is possible to obtain a result that the experimentalexamples 2-1 and 2-2 where a supply amount of IPA vapor is in a range offrom about 0.2 cc/sec to about 0.4 cc/sec (concentration of IPA rangingfrom about 100 volumetric ppm to about 200 volumetric ppm) are moredesirable since a degree of dissolution of the resist pattern is low inthese experimental examples.

Experiment 3

A lifting speed of a wafer boat 213 (pick-up speed of a wafer W) ischanged, and an effect on generation of water marks has been evaluated.

A. Experimental Conditions Experimental Example 3-1

An experiment has been conducted under the same conditions as in theexperimental example 1-1.

Experimental Example 3-2

An experiment has been conducted under the same conditions as in theexperimental example 1-1 excepting that a lifting speed of a wafer boat213 is about 2 mm/sec).

B. Experimental Data

FIG. 12 shows generation of water marks in each experimental example.According to the result of the experimental examples 3-1 and 3-2, whenthe lifting speed of the wafer boat 213, i.e., the speed of picking upthe wafer W from a cleaning solution is reduced, a generation amount ofwater marks is decreased. That is because by reducing the pick-up speedof the wafer W, there is an increase in the number of cycles in which afirst drying gas and a second drying gas are supplied until the wholewafer W is picked up from the cleaning solution after a front end of thewafer W is exposed to a drying gas atmosphere, and, thus, the wafer W ispicked up under a condition where water marks are difficult to generate.

What is claimed is:
 1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: acleaning tank configured to clean a target substrate by immersing thetarget substrate in a cleaning solution in a longitudinal directionwhile the cleaning solution is supplied from a cleaning solution supplyunit; a drying chamber configured to communicate with an upper area ofthe cleaning tank and dry the target substrate picked up from thecleaning tank; a first drying gas supply unit configured to supply afirst drying gas containing vapor of a solvent for removing a liquid toan atmosphere ranging from the upper area of the cleaning tank to aninside of the drying chamber; a second drying gas supply unit configuredto supply a second drying gas not containing the vapor of the solventfor removing the liquid to the atmosphere ranging from the upper area ofthe cleaning tank to the inside of the drying chamber; a substrateholder configured to pick up the target substrate from the cleaning tankand transfer the target substrate to the drying chamber while holdingthe target substrate in a longitudinal direction; and a controllerconfigured to output a control signal to alternately supply the firstdrying gas and the second drying gas to an area where the targetsubstrate is exposed after an upper end of the cleaned target substrateis picked up from a liquid surface of the cleaning solution by thesubstrate holder, wherein when a cycle is defined as a period of timerequired to respectively supply the first drying gas and the seconddrying gas one time, at least one cycle is repeated between a time whenthe upper end of the target substrate is picked up from the cleaningsolution and a time when the whole target substrate is picked up fromthe cleaning solution.
 2. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1,wherein the controller outputs a control signal to alternately supplythe first drying gas and the second drying gas to the upper area of thecleaning tank from a time when the entire target substrate is immersedin the cleaning solution.
 3. The substrate processing apparatus of claim1, wherein the controller outputs a control signal to supply thecleaning solution into the cleaning tank based on an operation ofsupplying the first drying gas to the upper area of the cleaning tank.4. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a speed ofpicking up the target substrate from the cleaning solution is in a rangeof from about 2 mm/sec to about 10 mm/sec.
 5. A substrate processingapparatus comprising: a cleaning tank configured to clean a targetsubstrate by immersing a target substrate in a cleaning solution in alongitudinal direction while the cleaning solution is supplied from acleaning solution supply unit; a drying chamber configured tocommunicate with an upper area of the cleaning tank and dry the targetsubstrate picked up from the cleaning tank; a drying gas supply unitconfigured to supply a gas containing vapor of a solvent for removing aliquid to an atmosphere ranging from the upper area of the cleaning tankto an inside of the drying chamber while changing a concentration of thevapor of the solvent; a substrate holder configured to pick up thetarget substrate from the cleaning tank and transfer the targetsubstrate to the drying chamber while holding the target substrate in alongitudinal direction; and a controller configured to output a controlsignal to perform a process of supplying a first gas containing vapor ofa solvent of a first concentration to an area where the target substrateis exposed between the upper area of the cleaning tank and the dryingchamber in order to form a liquid film on a surface of the targetsubstrate after an upper end of the cleaned target substrate is pickedup from a liquid surface of the cleaning solution by the substrateholder, and a process of supplying a second gas containing the vapor ofthe solvent of a second concentration higher than the firstconcentration after the target substrate is loaded into the dryingchamber communicating with the upper area of the cleaning tank in orderto remove the liquid by vaporizing the solvent after the liquid adheringto the surface of the substrate is diluted by condensing the solvent,wherein when a cycle is defined as a period of time required to supplythe first gas one time, at least one cycle is repeated between a timewhen the upper end of the target substrate is picked up from thecleaning solution and a time when the whole target substrate is pickedup from the cleaning solution.
 6. The substrate processing apparatus ofclaim 5, wherein in the supplying process of the first gas and thesupplying process of the second gas, the first concentration is changedto the second concentration by changing an interval of alternatesupplies of a gas containing the vapor of the solvent and a gas notcontaining the vapor of the solvent.
 7. The substrate processingapparatus of claim 5, wherein the first concentration is changed to thesecond concentration by changing an interval of alternate supplies of agas containing the vapor of the solvent and a gas not containing thevapor of the solvent in the supplying process of the first gas andcontinuously supplying a gas containing the vapor of the solvent in thesupplying process of the second gas.
 8. The substrate processingapparatus of claim 5 wherein in the supplying process of the first gasand the supplying process of the second gas, the first concentration ischanged to the second concentration by changing mixing ratio of thevapor of the solvent and a gas that dilutes the vapor of the solvent. 9.The substrate processing apparatus of claim 5 wherein in the supplyingprocess of the first gas and the supplying process of the second gas,the first concentration is changed to the second concentration bychanging a supply amount of a gas containing vapor of a solvent of apreset concentration.